A/76/434 46. Although Member States have lagged in implementing the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, some progress has been made. According to OHCHR, since 2001, 42 States have adopted or amended legislation prohibiting racial discrimination; 35 States have established national equality bodies for combating racial discrimination and promoting equality; 23 States and regional institutions have adopted national and regional policies against racism; and 26 more States have ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, bringing the total number of States parties to 182. 48 47. In part as a result of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the term “Afrodescendants” has played an integral role in boosting data collection, legal recognition and political will to combat racism in Latin America. Several Latin American nations have created national action plans against racism in response to the document, and Brazil has been highlighted as a nation that radically changed its approach to racial justice policies owing to the influence of the Conference, including by engaging in affirmative action programmes. 49 Even while acknowledging those developments, it is crucial to note the persistence of extreme human rights violations in the region against people of African descent and indigenous peoples. 48. Several States credit the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action with prompting recognition and action on racial discrimination in their national legal systems. In one submission, the national human rights institution of Argentina noted that the document was “an essential engine” for instilling the issue of racial discrimination and xenophobia into the State’s institutional agenda. 50 The Government of Mexico noted that the document had “contributed to the consolidation, implementation and articulation of” its anti-discrimination policy. 51 Namibia reported that the document had inspired its Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a national inquiry on the matter in 2017. The ensuing report, entitl ed “A nation divided: why do racism and other forms of discrimination still persist after twenty -seven years of Namibian independence?”, has played a key role in guiding the country’s subsequent racial justice programme. 52 49. Another key area of national implementation has been the creation of national action plans against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 53 50. Argentina created a national plan against racism in 2004 and collected data on Afrodescendants for the first time in its 2010 census. 54 Ecuador reported that, in 2009, it adopted a “plurinational plan” in response to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. The country has also created several institutional frameworks, including the National Council for the Equality of Peoples and Nationalities and an agenda for the equal rights of indigenous nationalities and peoples, Afro -Ecuadorian people and Montubio people for the period 2019–2021. 55 The National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination of Mexico is cu rrently developing a national programme for equality and non-discrimination for the period 2021–2024, within the __________________ 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 14/26 Data taken from OHCHR, “Fighting racism and discrimination: the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at 20”, 2021. In its submission, the International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism reported that only 59 States parties to the Convention had accepted the individual communications procedure set out in article 14 thereof, while 123 States parties had not. Lennox, “Reviewing Durban”, p. 209. Submission by the Defensoría del Pueblo de la Nación (Argentina). Submission by Mexico. Submission by Namibia. Programme of Action, para. 99. Submission by the Defensoría del Pueblo de la Nación (Argentina). Submission by Ecuador. 21-15325